End-of-Year Cool Cat Carnival
There is no better way to kick off the sunny days of summer! The Daves Avenue Carnival is a beloved annual tradition that brings our entire school community together to celebrate the end of a fantastic school year and the exciting arrival of summer. It is an afternoon packed with laughter, community spirit, and pure fun for all of our Cool Cats!
The carnival has been a staple of the Los Gatos/Monte Sereno community since 1977! Organized completely by our parent volunteers through the HSC, the event was built to serve two main purposes: community building and celebrating the end of a hard-working school year. While other events like the Cool Cat Auction or the Fun Run are heavy fundraisers, the Carnival focuses heavily on pure family fun.
Event Details
- When: May 28th, 2027
- Time: 4PM – 8PM
- Location: The Daves Avenue Blacktop and Field
- Cost: Free! Games and concessions are provided with Food Trucks available for dinner purchases
What Happens at the Carnival?
- 🎯 Classic Game Booths: Test your skills, challenge your friends, and win awesome prizes!
- 🎨 Creativity Corners: Get festive with arts and crafts, vibrant spin art, and professional face painting.
- 🏰 Inflatables & Attractions: High-energy bounce houses and inflatables that will keep the kids jumping for joy.
- 🍔 Delicious Eats: Treat yourself to classic carnival concessions like popcorn and cotton candy (provided courtesy of the HSC), or grab dinner from a fantastic lineup of local food trucks on campus available for food purchases.
Volunteer Roles
The Daves Avenue Carnival is one of our biggest events of the year, and it takes an incredible team of parents to bring the magic to life! Whether you love organizing details behind the scenes or want to help us transform the campus on the day of the event, we have a role that fits your schedule and talents. Explore our open positions below and help us make this year’s carnival unforgettable! View the roles below and email us at volunteercoordinator@
- Event Lead(s): Work with the HSC Board to set the overall vision and layout for the carnival, oversee the planning timeline, and serve as the main point person working with the school administration and HSC.
- Vendor Coordinator: Secure and manage contracts for the main attractions, including the inflatables, face painters, spin art equipment, and game booths.
- Food Truck Coordinator: Secure a delicious variety of local food trucks, acting as their primary contact for arrival times, parking layouts, and menu options.
- Volunteer Coordinator: Work with local high schools and school service clubs to recruit energetic student volunteers to run the game stations, ensuring all shifts are covered.
- School & Custodial Liaison: Coordinate directly with the Daves Avenue school staff and custodial team to handle trash/recycling logistics, power needs, and campus rules.
- Decorations Lead: Design the look and feel of the carnival! Create signage, balloons, and festive entryways to make the campus feel like a real old-school fairground.
- Set Up Crew: Arrive early on carnival day to help set up the game booths, layout tables, hang signs, and position the attractions before the gates open.
- Clean Up Crew: Help us leave our beautiful campus spotless! Assist with packing up game prizes, taking down decorations, and working with custodians to ensure everything is put away properly after the final ticket is redeemed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Who is invited to the carnival? The carnival is open to all Daves Avenue families.
- Do I need to buy tickets for games and activities? TBD
- How does food work? Are food trucks included in the admission? Classic carnival concessions are provided free, courtesy of the HSC. Food trucks are not included with your admission. Food and drinks will be available for direct purchase at each individual food truck, so please bring a card or cash for your meals!
- Can middle school or high school students volunteer? Yes, absolutely! We love having student volunteers help run our game booths. If you have an older student looking for community service hours, please have them check out our volunteer sign-up link or contact our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteercoordinator@
daveshsc.org . - Where should we park, and where is the entrance? The carnival takes place on the main field and blacktop. We highly recommend walking or biking if you live nearby, as parking in the main lot will be very limited. You may also park on the street or in the Oak Tree parking lot at First Baptist Church across the street from campus. Please park in designated parking spots only and note that their playground is not for public use.
- What should my child wear? Dress for a day of active outdoor fun! Comfortable clothes, hats, sunscreen, and closed-toe shoes are highly recommended.